Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971

Stop by Whittington Center in Raton to see a facility designed to host national events. There are two, full-hookup campgrounds and cabins too. I stop there on my way to Colorado to camp even if I'm not shooting there.

Try to have enough parking and onsite camping to host a weekend event. Electric power to campsites makes the range attractive to those who want to shoot a bigger match. No camping at all (even dry camping) detracts from the range.

Two useful videos: Lubricating the Dillon Precision RL550B Major Cleaning and Lubing of the Dillon Precision RL550B Your press will run great at first. Eventually you will need clean and lube it.

My first LED light didn't last long and I had to replace it (Chinese manufacture - 'nuff said). The one on my press now has lasted for years (including the battery). I don't need the light during the day when sunlight floods my loading room. In the evening it is essential.

Uniquetek has some useful aftermarket parts for a 550. The spent primer chute catches more primers than the factory primer holder. The primer track bearing really helps the primer feeder to run more reliably. (I also use a .45 case on the primer feed rod to add a little weight and improve feeding.) Most important is an LED lighting kit. I visually verify powder has fallen for each case. (I loaded a few squib rounds before I started checking.)

As an owner of two progressive Dillons I advise you to hang onto the Lee press for odd jobs and small lots. (Everything I might say about 550s and 750s is already posted.)

I'm not sure how this statement ended up in my post. I did not type it and would not make this statement. I edited my post to remove the sentence.

Should you acquire cartridge guns with lightened springs shooting duelist will be easier. BTW, Gremlin can shoot those revolvers two-handed in the Frontier Cartridge category. I sometimes do this with Ruger Old Armys. BTW, those Slim Jim holsters look good with your revolvers.

I just got a sad e-mail that a former co-worker of mine passed. He was an avid reloader and probably has some supplies that will sell in an estate sale. I will help his widow with the sale. These will net enough to help defray funeral expenses.

You experienced problems with cap 'n ball revolvers and '92 rifles that many of us have experienced. Good thing: you figured out how to prevent the problems. The first challenge most CAS shooters have is getting their equipment running 100% reliable. I charge my cylinders using a loading stand as pictured below: These cost about $20. I prefer a Timer/Operator who also shoots cap 'n ball revolvers. They know when I have a cap-only ignition and don't call a cease fire for a squib.

Sidebar: back in the '70s a local auto shop was selling these magnets to install in carburetors. The sales pitch was that the magnet pre-magnetized gasoline making it vaporize better.

I have three Stoegers. One is wore out. They are serviceable, entry-level shotguns. I recently bought a Longhunter-tuned CZ Sharptail. I prefer shooting it to the Stoegers. It has a chrome-lined barrel that facilitates removing melted plastic from black powder shotgun shells. Borrow the shotguns you are interested in for a stage at a local match. You will have preferences. Like shoes, try before you buy.

Here are some manufacturer's reloading sites. The loading data in them can be used to supplement the manuals mentioned in the preceding posts. I recommend bookmarking these sites. Hodgdon Reloading Alliant Powder Accurate Powder Load Data

A few thoughts to add to the preceding: I bought my first batch of once-fired 44 mag brass from an indoor shooting range in Honolulu. Such ranges can be an inexpensive source of brass. Once-fired 38 Special is easy to find - 45 Colt not so easy. Jewelers scales available online are suitable for weighing powder and are less expensive than balance beam scales. You can load both 38 Special and 45 Colt cartridges with the same powder. There are many choices. I prefer powders that meter well, are bulky and burn clean. Get a pair of safety glasses and wear them when reloa

What do you mean by "normal" loads? smokeless? It's legal in categories that allow smokeless powder. I did it for awhile before I was equipped to load BP shotgun shells.

Regarding your girth: holsters have to fit guns, a belt must fit you waist. A competent leather maker can make a belt to fit you. I found a 2-inch wide tool belt on Amazon that would fit you. Show up at a match with such a belt and someone could lend you holsters and guns for a try. You may as well borrow guns and pay fellow shooters for ammo for now. Commercial handgun ammo is unavailable and pistol primers to reload cannot be found. However, shotgun shells are available. Some shooters wear bib overalls. Round House make bib overalls for up to a 74-inch waist. They are c

I too avoid Remington .22s for the above mentioned reasons. My wife won the speed .22 rifle side match at the 4-Corners Regional with Armscor .22 ammo. Never had a misfire or failure to feed with it. I don't use S&B ammo because it destroyed one local fellow's handgun. I never touch handloaded ammo at gun shows for obvious reasons.

Gander Mountain lives on absorbed into Camping World. Locally they have plenty of handguns while others are sold out. Possibly this is because their retail location is so remote and they don't advertise enough.

For most people a 1 in 100 chance of dying is unacceptable. COVID-19 is right at that threshold. Further, many victims take months to recover and may never fully recover. I've seen shooters at CAS matches tethered to an oxygen bottle. I don't want to be one of them.

$785 million according to this article.

It might be a good time to use any SW gift cards you hold soon. When a Canadian-based company bought the SW outlets in the NW the cards became worthless. Locally our SW outlet is located near a Cabelas. I could see the SW outlet closed to drive traffic to Cabelas. That would be unfortunate as SW has a better (but unreliable) selection of reloading supplies. SW discount coupons handed out at SASS matches have subsidized my reloading purchases.

When I was at the Revenge in June in Montrose, CO Colorado Cast was well-stocked. You might contact them. http://www.sanjuanshootingrange.com/colorado-cast-bullets I made my last order from Band and Clang. George's site says he's 4-weeks behind on filling orders. I also do business with Chey-Cast. There's got to be someone in the Southeast who can supply you.

A fellow shooter has a niche business shopping estate and garage sales for firearms-related items that he resells at local gun shows. He sold me a MEC Jr out of his inventory to get me started in loading BP shotgun shells.

with a light north wind - should be good viewing

I own several Stoegers. They're decent, entry level CAS shotguns. I recently bought a CZ that was worked on by Longhunters. It is a better shotgun. CZs have chrome-lined barrels that make clean-up after shooting black powder with plastic wads quite easy. Cleaning unlined barrels is more work (but not excessively so). Borrow a CZ at a match and give it a try. That will tell you whether it is worth another $500.